Paczek
Pączki (Polish [ˈpɔnt͡ʂki] (
Typical Paczki
A pączek is a deep-fried piece of dough shaped into a flattened
sphere and filled with confiture or
other sweet filling. Pączki are usually covered with powdered
sugar, icing or bits of dried orange zest. A small amount of grain alcohol (traditionally,Spiritus) is added to the dough before
cooking; as it evaporates, it prevents the absorption of oil deep into the
dough.[2]
Although they look like berliners (German
name), bismarcks (south-central Canada/north-central US name), and jelly
doughnuts (generic name; sometimes
"jam donut"), pączki are made from especially rich dough containing
eggs, fats, sugar and sometimes milk. They feature a variety of fruit and creme
fillings and can be glazed, or covered with granulated or powdered sugar. Powidła (stewed plum jam) and wildrose hip jam[2][3] are traditional fillings,
but many others are used as well, including strawberry, Bavarian cream, blueberry, custard, raspberry and apple.[4]
Pączki have been known in
Poland at least since the Middle Ages. Jędrzej Kitowicz has described that during the reign of August
III, under the influence of French cooks who came to Poland,
pączki dough was improved, so that pączki became lighter, spongier, and more
resilient.
Paczki day
In Poland, pączki are eaten
especially on the first day of Ostatki, Tłusty Czwartek, also known as the Fat
Thursday (the last Thursday before Ash
Wednesday). The traditional reason for making pączki was to use up
all the lard, sugar, eggs and fruit in the house, because their
consumption was forbidden by Catholic fasting practices during Lent.
In the large Polish
community of Chicago, and in other large cities across the Midwest, Pączki Day is
celebrated annually by immigrants and locals alike. In Buffalo, Toledo,Cleveland, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Milwaukee, South
Bend, and Windsor, Pączki Day is more commonly celebrated on Fat
Tuesday instead of Tłusty Czwartek. Chicago
celebrates the festival on both Fat Thursday and Fat Tuesday, due to its
sizable Polish population. Chicagoans also often eat pączki on Casimir Pulaski Day.
In Hamtramck,
Michigan, an enclave of Detroit, there is an annual Pączki Day (Shrove Tuesday) Parade,[4] which has gained a devoted
following. In the Metro Detroit area, it is so widespread
throughout the region that many bakeries have line-ups for pączki on Pączki
Day.[5] The Pączki Day celebrations
in some areas are even larger than many celebrations for St.
Patrick's Day.[citation needed] In some areas Pączki Day is celebrated
with pączki-eating contests. The eating contest in Evanston,
Illinois, started in 2010, and is held on the weekend before Fat
Tuesday, while Hamtramck's contest is held on the holiday.
Paczki in the United States
These pastries have become popular in the
United States as a result of Polish
immigrants and marketing by
the bakery industry. They are particularly popular in areas where there is a
large concentration of Polish immigrants. In the Boston area, Detroit area, Chicago and Northern Illinois, Northwest
Indiana and Southeastern Wisconsin they can
regularly be found in supermarkets.[citation needed]
Paczki Derivatives
In other Slavonic countries, a meal
synonymous with pączki appears in the local cuisines whose name is derived from
the same etymology as pączki:[citation needed]
·
Russia: ponchiki (Russian: пончики, plural form of пончик, ponchik)
or pyshki (Russian: пышки, especially in St. Petersburg). Ponchiki are
a very popular sweet doughnut, with many fast and simple recipes available in
Russian cookbooks for making them at home as a breakfast or coffee pastry.[6]
In neighboring countries to Poland
there are also called:
Pierniki
Toruń gingerbread (Polish: pierniki toruńskie, German: Thorner Lebkuchen) is a traditional Polish gingerbread that has been produced since the Middle Ages[citation needed] in the city of Toruń (Thorn).
Varieties
·
Gingerbread covered with chocolate: "Katarzynki" (Catherine's gingerbread), Gingerbread hearts,
Gingerbread hearts covered with chocolate
·
Filled gingerbread covered with chocolate
·
Gingerbread iced
·
Gingerbread iced, filled
·
Classic gingerbread
·
Decorative gingerbread
·
Gingerbread monuments
History
Old Polish sayings connect
Toruń with making some form of "pierniki", and the expansion of the
craft regarding making "pierniki" started in 13th century.[1] Well developed bee-keeping,
a fertile soil and a trade route leading through this area made this happen.[2]
A considerable factor
behind the development of gingerbread-making in Toruń was its excellent
location. Situated on high-quality soil, the area provided fine
wheat for flour, while nearby villages provided honey.
The necessary spices were brought from remote countries, mainly India, via a route through the Black Sea and Lviv to Germany, where the spices were transported by north-German trade companies. Some also came by sea to the port of Gdańsk.
The necessary spices were brought from remote countries, mainly India, via a route through the Black Sea and Lviv to Germany, where the spices were transported by north-German trade companies. Some also came by sea to the port of Gdańsk.
The first mention of Toruń
gingerbread comes from 1380 and speaks of a local baker called Niclos
Czana. The product quickly gained fame across Poland and abroad.
Toruń and the city of Nuremberg, itself famous for special pancakes, were eager to protect the
secrets of their recipes from each other. Finally in 1556, they formed an
agreement by which each city could bake the specialities of the other.
The artisans weren't the
only ones engaged in the production of the delicacy. In the 16th century, the Cistercian
Order on the outskirts of Toruń
prospered mainly due to this activity and even sold their product to other
countries.
During the 17th century, the well-known workshop of the Grauer family appeared. The city authorities were supportive of the lucrative trade and issued several tax breaks on spice imports and export by bakers' guilds so that the trade could be increased.
During the 17th century, the well-known workshop of the Grauer family appeared. The city authorities were supportive of the lucrative trade and issued several tax breaks on spice imports and export by bakers' guilds so that the trade could be increased.
In the 18th and 19th
century, the city saw a fall in baking and other craftsmanship. In 1825, only
three bakers were left. With the advent of capitalism, large companies took
over from the local craftsmen and mass production of the gingerbread ensued.
The largest factory was
owned by Gustaw Weese, based on tradition dating from 1760, when Jan Weese
started to bake gingerbread. Gustaw Traugott Wesse inherited a small workshop
after his father Andrzej in 1824 and changed it into a large company.
In 1875 "Gazeta Toruńska" wrote on New Year's Eve that due to demand it was even sold in Africa. Other exotic places of export includedTurkey, Japan, China and Honolulu. In 1913, Gustaw Weese, a descendant of Gustaw Traugott Weese, constructed a factory which, after World War I ended, was employing over 500 workers. Gustaw Wese sold it in January 1939 to the Polish company "Społem" and left for his other gingerbread factory in Germany. The company in Toruń still exists and is the oldest confectionery company in Poland today and one of the oldest of Europe.
In 1875 "Gazeta Toruńska" wrote on New Year's Eve that due to demand it was even sold in Africa. Other exotic places of export includedTurkey, Japan, China and Honolulu. In 1913, Gustaw Weese, a descendant of Gustaw Traugott Weese, constructed a factory which, after World War I ended, was employing over 500 workers. Gustaw Wese sold it in January 1939 to the Polish company "Społem" and left for his other gingerbread factory in Germany. The company in Toruń still exists and is the oldest confectionery company in Poland today and one of the oldest of Europe.
Besides Gustaw's factory
there was also the Hermann Thomas company founded in 1857, which in 1907
employed 200 workers. Another important company engaged in the production of
gingerbread was founded by Jan Ruchniewicz in 1907. The enterprise
prospered quite successfully and had 50 workers. It was especially known for
the ornamental gingerbread topped with Toruń's crest.
Torun gingerbread in Polish culture
Pierniki Toruńskie, as they
are known in their country of origin, form a part of the symbols of the
national cuisine of Poland. They have been praised in literature, poetry, and
the other Beaux Arts.
They were also traditionally given as a gift by the city of Toruń to Polish leaders, artists and other Poles who have marked themselves in Polish society. In the past they were also given to Polish kings. Baking moulds have survived with the likenesses of Zygmunt III and his wife, Władysław IV and queen Cecylia Renata as well with the king's seal of Władysław IV with Polish eagle and royal crown together with crests of provinces.
Other notable figures who received the gingerbread as gift from the city are: Maria Kazimiera Sobieska the widow of king Sobieski, bishop of Kujawy Antoni Ostrowski, the French Emperor Napoléon Bonaparte (during his visit the whole city was illuminated and bells were rung all over the city), Zygmunt Krasiński one of the leading Polish romantics, Jan Matejko, Helena Modrzejewska, Josef Pilsudski, Arthur Rubinstein, Czesław Miłosz,Lech Wałęsa and Pope John Paul II.
They were also traditionally given as a gift by the city of Toruń to Polish leaders, artists and other Poles who have marked themselves in Polish society. In the past they were also given to Polish kings. Baking moulds have survived with the likenesses of Zygmunt III and his wife, Władysław IV and queen Cecylia Renata as well with the king's seal of Władysław IV with Polish eagle and royal crown together with crests of provinces.
Other notable figures who received the gingerbread as gift from the city are: Maria Kazimiera Sobieska the widow of king Sobieski, bishop of Kujawy Antoni Ostrowski, the French Emperor Napoléon Bonaparte (during his visit the whole city was illuminated and bells were rung all over the city), Zygmunt Krasiński one of the leading Polish romantics, Jan Matejko, Helena Modrzejewska, Josef Pilsudski, Arthur Rubinstein, Czesław Miłosz,Lech Wałęsa and Pope John Paul II.
Since at least the Middle
Ages, "pierniki" have been connected with Toruń in Polish proverbs
and legends. One of the legends claims that the gingerbread was a gift from
Queen of Bees to the apprentice Bogumił.
An old epigram by poet Frederyk Hoffman from 17th century speaks of four best things in Poland: "vodka from Gdańsk, Toruń's gingerbread, ladies from Kraków, and shoes from Warsaw". Józef Epifani Minasowicz in 18th century wrote that if one doesn't drink vodka one is not worthy of tasting the gingerbread, and Jakub Kazimierz Haur stated that peasants ate bread as eager as the gingerbread.
An old epigram by poet Frederyk Hoffman from 17th century speaks of four best things in Poland: "vodka from Gdańsk, Toruń's gingerbread, ladies from Kraków, and shoes from Warsaw". Józef Epifani Minasowicz in 18th century wrote that if one doesn't drink vodka one is not worthy of tasting the gingerbread, and Jakub Kazimierz Haur stated that peasants ate bread as eager as the gingerbread.
The famous Polish poet Ignacy Krasicki, who personally favoured
pierniki, wrote about them in his poem "Monachomachia". Adam Pług wrote in 1854 about a
father returning from a fair to bring his children gingerbread as a gift. Zygmunt Kaczkowski in his "Gniazdo Nieczujów"
spoke of it as an exceeding noble food.
A story connected with
Toruń gingerbread involves the composer Frédéric Chopin.
When 15-year-old Chopin visited the Dziewanowski family at Szafarnia,
a small village near the river Drwęca, he stopped over in Toruń. He sampled
the city's famous confection and grew so fond of it that he wrote a letter
about it to his friend Jan Matuszyński.
He even sent some to Warsaw. In honor of this, Poland's largest producer of Toruń gingerbread, the Kopernik confectionery company, has created a special, heart-shaped gingerbread calledScherzo, with Chopin's portrait on the wrapper.
He even sent some to Warsaw. In honor of this, Poland's largest producer of Toruń gingerbread, the Kopernik confectionery company, has created a special, heart-shaped gingerbread calledScherzo, with Chopin's portrait on the wrapper.
The town of Toruń holds a
yearly celebration dedicated to the gingerbread called Święto
Piernika or Festival
of Gingerbread.
Current producers
There are two main producers of Toruń gingerbread: the confectionary
factory "Kopernik" S.A., and the Toruń Bakery. The first upholds its
legal rights to the brand name and is the successor to a company that was
founded in 1760 by Jan Wesse. The second company was formed by Toruń bakers who
specialized in producing gingerbread; its aim is to spread knowledge of the
craft and to produce fine gingerbread for restaurants, parties and elite
meetings.
Faworki
What are Faworki?
‘Faworki’ are sweet,
crispy, fried pastry straws called very often ‘crust’ in some parts of Poland
also described as ‘chrusciki or jaworki’).
Word ‘faworki’ came to
Poland from Latin via France and means ‘grace’ or ‘flavour’. It is connected
with the name ‘faworki’ that used to describe colourful ribbons attached to male
or female clothes (especially those that were given by knights or their
ladies). And so fried faworki resemble twisted ribbons.
Word ‘crust’ means in Polish ‘brushwood’- as ‘faworki’ might also resemble small branches of dry wood that are collected to light the fireplace.
Word ‘crust’ means in Polish ‘brushwood’- as ‘faworki’ might also resemble small branches of dry wood that are collected to light the fireplace.
Faworki become popular in
time of carnival and – especially – on Fat Thursday (the last Thursday before
Lent). Polish housewives prepare on that day donuts, faworki and other pastries
to celebrate that day.
On Fat Thursday you can see in Poland long lines of people standing in front of confectioneries and purchasing all kinds of sweets (but donuts and chrust are the most popular among them). In Poland and Germany (where Fat Thursday is celebrated) it is believed that gluttony is allowed on that day as those meals will be soon forbidden during forthcoming Lent.
Donuts are traditionally filled with marmalade or special jam made from fried rose petals. They are sprinkled with powdered or icing sugar. Faworki are sprinkled with powdered sugar to strengthen sweet taste.- miracle-miraclefood.blogspot.com
On Fat Thursday you can see in Poland long lines of people standing in front of confectioneries and purchasing all kinds of sweets (but donuts and chrust are the most popular among them). In Poland and Germany (where Fat Thursday is celebrated) it is believed that gluttony is allowed on that day as those meals will be soon forbidden during forthcoming Lent.
Donuts are traditionally filled with marmalade or special jam made from fried rose petals. They are sprinkled with powdered or icing sugar. Faworki are sprinkled with powdered sugar to strengthen sweet taste.- miracle-miraclefood.blogspot.com
Angel wings/ faworki are a traditional sweet crisp pastry made out of dough that has been shaped into thin twisted ribbons, deep-fried and sprinkled with powdered sugar. Traditionally present in
several European cuisines, angel wings are known by many other names and have
been incorporated into other regional cuisines (such as the United States) by
immigrant populations.
They are most commonly eaten in the period just before Lent, often during Carnival and on Fat Thursday, the last Thursday before Lent – not to be confused with "Fat Tuesday" (Mardi Gras), the day before Ash Wednesday. There is a tradition in some countries for husbands to give angel wings to their wives on Friday the 13th in order to avoid bad luck-wikipedia
They are most commonly eaten in the period just before Lent, often during Carnival and on Fat Thursday, the last Thursday before Lent – not to be confused with "Fat Tuesday" (Mardi Gras), the day before Ash Wednesday. There is a tradition in some countries for husbands to give angel wings to their wives on Friday the 13th in order to avoid bad luck-wikipedia
Normaly content with flour, yolks,
confectioner sugar, vanilla flavour, rum and salt.
Alternate
names
In the various national cuisines, angel
wings are referred to as:
Variants By Country
France
In France the fried pastry are made in
central-eastern France, including Lyon and Saint-Étienne, and are closely related to beignets. Traditionally, Lyon cold meat shops sold bugnes just before Lent, due to their high fat content.[citation needed] They are
also made in the home as a way of using surplus cooking fat, which would be
wasted during Lent. More recently, bakeries make them, respecting more or less
the tradition of Lent.
French bugnes varieties include crunchy
bugnes and soft bugnes. The crunchy variety, known as "bugnes
lyonnaises" ("Lyon bugnes"), are cooked in very hot oil with the
dough spread out thinly and knotted once or twice. The soft variety, sometimes
known as "pillows", are made with a thicker dough, which is rarely
knotted.
Hungary
Hungarian csöröge are made from egg
yolk, flour, a leavening agent, sugar, salt and cognac or brandy. They are deep
fried and sprinkled with powdered sugar. They are traditional at weddings.
Italian cenci or chiacchiere are eaten at Carnival time. Their various
regional names include: frappe (a name shared with similar treats) inRome; sfrappole in Emilia Romagna; bugie in Genoa; and galani or crostoli in Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia, especially in theTriestino capital, Trieste. Many other regional names
exist. Regional variations in the recipe include sprinkling with orange zest or
using anisette wine as the alcoholic base.
Poland
Chruściki, chrusty,
and faworki are the plural forms of the words chruścik, chrust, and faworek, respectively.
The Polish word
"faworki" was the name reserved for colourful ribbons attached to
either female or male clothing, especially ribbons given to medieval knights by
their ladies. Etymologically the word "faworki" came to Poland from
the French word faveur, meaning
"grace" or "favour".
The Polish word
"chrust" means "dry branches broken off trees" or
"brushwood".[2] "Chruścik" is a diminutive of "chrust".
Ukraine
Verhuny are sweet cookies,
fried in oil, which have the form of oblong strips.
Verhuny are a Ukrainian
confectionery with non-yeast dough, which includes flour, butter, eggs, sugar
and additives such as alcohol (rum, brandy or vodka) or, in extreme cases,
vinegar (vinegar sometimes together with alcohol). As substitute for butter,
but more often as an additional component in verhuny, milk products (milk, sour
cream or cream) are added. Verhuny should only be fried in shortening or
vegetable oil.
United States
In the United States, many
ethnic bakeries in the cities of Cleveland, Chicago, and Detroit make angel
wings, and they are especially popular during the holidays of Easter and Christmas. During those holidays, some bakeries require people to pre-order
their angel wings.
Bulgaria
In Bulgaria they are known
as "KUKURINI". Known only in city Bansko, South-East Bulgaria.
Recipe: 1 Egg per 50gr.flour Flour, as above sugar pinch of salt 2 tbl.sp. oil
Make a dough and roll it as
"thin as a news paper". Cut in diamond shapes and fold them as you
prefer. Fry in deep oil. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Kutia
Kutia is a sweet grain pudding, traditionally served in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and some parts of Poland. Kutia is often the first dish in the traditional twelve-dish Christmas Eve supper (also known as Svyatah Vecherya). It is rarely served at other times of the year.
Description
It resembles koliva from Serbia or Romania (used usually for
funerals), but the latter is mixed only with walnuts, sugar and raisins.
Kutia was also part of a common Eastern Orthodox tradition in the Russian
Empire, which had waned in popularity as a result of the official atheism of the former Soviet
Union, but has had a subsequent resurgence in Ukraine, Belarus and other former Soviet
Republics. Radonitsa is one such holiday during which it is
served. To this day kutia is served at funerals across Russia as a dish of remembrance.
Traditionally it was made
of wheatberries, poppy
seeds, honey (or sugar), various nuts and sometimes raisins. In many recipes milkor cream is also used. In some Slavic countries, rice is the main ingredient.
Nowadays other ingredients
(which were unavailable or just too expensive in earlier centuries) like almonds and pieces of orangesare added. In some places (like Poland, Ukraine, and western Canada), unprocessed wheat grain
for kutia is easily available in stores. In
others, where it is harder to find, it can be replaced by other similar grains
like barley-wikipedia
Kutia wigilijna
Kutia
Wigilijna, or Christmas Cooked Wheat Pudding, consisting of whole or
cracked wheat or barley (rice for the aristocracy!), poppy seeds, honey, and
sweetmeats (łakocie) like figs, raisins and nuts, and sometimes
cream is typically the first course served at the Christmas Eve dinner known as
wigilia.
Originally, kutia was eaten only in eastern Poland where it borders with Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania, but today it is becoming more popular throughout the entire country. The ingredients are variable depending on taste, availability of ingredients and budget.
There are hundreds of variations for kutia and it exists in other cultures including Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, and Slovakia. (Serbia - koljivo, Romania -coliva, Bulgaria - kolivo, Greece - kollyva, Middle East - kahmieh, Armenia - anoushabour, Old English - frumenty). Here is a larger photo of kutia.
Originally, kutia was eaten only in eastern Poland where it borders with Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania, but today it is becoming more popular throughout the entire country. The ingredients are variable depending on taste, availability of ingredients and budget.
There are hundreds of variations for kutia and it exists in other cultures including Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, and Slovakia. (Serbia - koljivo, Romania -coliva, Bulgaria - kolivo, Greece - kollyva, Middle East - kahmieh, Armenia - anoushabour, Old English - frumenty). Here is a larger photo of kutia.
Makowiec/poppy seed
roll
The poppy seed roll is a pastry consisting of a roll of
sweet yeast bread (a viennoiserie) with a dense, rich, bittersweet
filling of poppy seed. An alternative filling is a paste of minced walnuts, making it a walnut
roll.
It is popular in parts of Central
Europe, Eastern Europe and in Israel. It is commonly eaten at Christmas and Easter time. It is traditional in
several cuisines, including the Hungarian cuisine (mákos bejgli[1]), Russian cuisine (bulochki s makomRussian: булочки с маком), Serbian
cuisine (маковњача), Bosnian
cuisine (makovnjača), Polish
cuisine (makowiec),Czech cuisine (makový závin), Slovak
cuisine (makovník), Lithuanian
cuisine (aguonų vyniotinis), Croatian
cuisine(makovnjača), Romanian cuisine (ruladă cu mac or ruladă
cu nuci), and Austrian cuisine (Mohnkuchen or Mohnstriezel),Danish cuisine (wienerbrød (Vienna bread): [ˈʋiːˀnɔˌbʁœːˀð])and Latvain cuisine ("magonmaizite").
Ingredients
The dough is made of flour,
sugar, egg yolk, milk or sour cream and butter, and yeast.[2] The dough may be flavored
withlemon or orange zest or rum. The poppy seed
filling[3] may
contain ground poppy seeds, raisins, butter or milk, sugar or honey, rum and vanilla. Sometimes sugar is substituted for a tablespoon of apricot jam,
which is one of the most popular jams used in the Hungarian
cuisine.
The walnut roll filling contains raisins, rum, butter or milk, lemon rind and chopped walnuts. This filling may be spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, clove or vanilla.[4]
The walnut roll filling contains raisins, rum, butter or milk, lemon rind and chopped walnuts. This filling may be spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, clove or vanilla.[4]
The dough is at first quite
heavy, stiff and dry, but with kneading and resting becomes very elastic and
strong. It is rolled out into a large sheet, thick or thin depending on taste.
One aesthetic principle is that the dough and filling layers should be equal
thicknesses. Another is that more layers are better.
The filling is spread over the dough, which is then rolled into a long cylinder or log. Traditional recipes usually involve brushing the log with the egg white left over from the yolk used in the dough. Other recipes use different washes, or an icing added after baking. The unbaked log is gently transferred to a sheet pan, left to rise, then baked until golden brown.
The filling is spread over the dough, which is then rolled into a long cylinder or log. Traditional recipes usually involve brushing the log with the egg white left over from the yolk used in the dough. Other recipes use different washes, or an icing added after baking. The unbaked log is gently transferred to a sheet pan, left to rise, then baked until golden brown.
Christmas traditions
Hungarian
Christmas sweets and pastries served at Christmas time are not numerous. In
general no other pastries are served, and the traditional candy szaloncukor, large amounts of wrapped
decorative fondant candies hung on the Christmas tree as a decoration, also
consumed during the Christmas holidays.
All Hungarian families serve both the walnut and the poppy seed rolls, often accompanied with fruit wines, like red currant wine
All Hungarian families serve both the walnut and the poppy seed rolls, often accompanied with fruit wines, like red currant wine
Variants
The poppy seed filling is a
paste of ground poppy seeds, milk, butter, sugar and/or honey, often with additional flavorings such as lemon zest and juice.[2] It may have raisins.[5] The walnut filling is a
paste of ground walnuts, milk, butter, sugar, and raisins, often with
additional flavorings such as coffee or orange
zest.[2]
A very long roll may be
bent so that it fits on a baking sheet; the result is called a patkó (Hungarian: horseshoe).
Before baking, the roll may be given a wash of milk. The roll can be finished
with an icing after baking, made of powdered sugar and lemon
juice (or a glaze during baking). Usually it
is brought from the kitchen already sliced.
In Hungarian
cuisine the rolls, one with each
filling, are served together. The combination is known as mákos és diós (poppy seed and walnut). However, in
some English language cookbooks there may be no mention of the walnut filling,
as if poppy seed were the only filling used.[6] Some other non-Hungarian
food writers combine the poppy seeds and walnuts together in one filling.[7] Because Poland and Czech
culture have intermingled, immigrants to America sometimes use the term
"Kolache" to describe it.
As a new trend a chesnut
filled variant (gesztenyés bejgli) is emerging, mainly amongst younger urban
families.
Bagel
A bagel (also spelled beigel)[1] is a bread product, traditionally shaped by hand into the form of a ring from yeasted wheat dough, roughly hand-sized, which is first boiled for a short time in water and then baked.[2] The result is a dense, chewy, doughy interior with a browned and sometimes crisp exterior. Bagels are often topped with seeds baked on the outer crust, with the traditional ones being poppy or sesame seeds. Some also may have salt sprinkled on their surface, and there are also a number of different dough types such as whole-grain or rye.[2]
Bagels have become a
popular bread product in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom,
especially in cities with large Jewish populations,[3] many with different ways of making
bagels. Like other bakery products, bagels are available (either fresh or
frozen, and often in many flavor varieties) in many major supermarkets in those
countries.
The basic roll-with-a-hole
design is hundreds of years old and has other practical advantages besides
providing for a more even cooking and baking of the dough: the hole could be
used to thread string or dowels through groups of bagels, allowing for easier
handling and transportation and more appealing seller displays.[4][5]
History
Contrary to some beliefs,
the bagel was not created in the shape of a stirrup to
commemorate the victory of Poland's King Jan III Sobieski over the Ottoman
Turks in the Battle
of Vienna in 1683.[citation needed] It was actually invented
much earlier in Kraków,Poland, as a competitor to the obwarzanek, a lean bread of wheat flour designed for Lent. Leo Rosten wrote in "The Joys of
Yiddish" about the first known mention of the word bajgiel in the "Community
Regulations" of the city of Kraków in
1610, which stated that the item was given as a gift to women in childbirth.[6]
In the 16th and first half
of the 17th centuries, the bajgiel became a staple of the Polish
national diet,[7] and a staple of the Slavic diet
generally.[8] That the name originated
from beugal (old spelling of Bügel, meaning bail/bow or
bale) is considered plausible by many[who?],
both from the similarities of the word and because traditional handmade bagels
are not perfectly circular but rather slightly stirrup-shaped. (This, however,
may be due to the way the boiled bagels are pressed together on the baking
sheet before baking.)
Additionally, variants of
the word beugal are used in Yiddish and Austrian
Germanto refer to a somewhat similar form of sweet filled pastry (Mohnbeugel (with poppy seeds) and Nussbeugel (with ground nuts)), or in southern
German dialects (where beuge refers to a pile, e.g., holzbeuge, or woodpile).
According to the Merriam-Webster's dictionary, 'bagel' derives from the transliteration of the Yiddish 'beygl', which came from the Middle High German 'böugel' or ring, which itself came from 'bouc' (ring) in Old High German, similar to the Old English'bēag' '(ring), and 'būgan' (to bend or bow).[9] Similarly another etymology in the Webster's New World College Dictionary says that the Middle High German form was derived from the Austrian German 'beugel', a kind of croissant, and was similar to the German'bügel', a stirrup or ring.[10]
According to the Merriam-Webster's dictionary, 'bagel' derives from the transliteration of the Yiddish 'beygl', which came from the Middle High German 'böugel' or ring, which itself came from 'bouc' (ring) in Old High German, similar to the Old English'bēag' '(ring), and 'būgan' (to bend or bow).[9] Similarly another etymology in the Webster's New World College Dictionary says that the Middle High German form was derived from the Austrian German 'beugel', a kind of croissant, and was similar to the German'bügel', a stirrup or ring.[10]
In the Brick
Lane district and surrounding area of London, England, bagels, or as
locally spelled "beigels" have been sold since the middle of the
19th century. They were often displayed in the windows of bakeries on vertical
wooden dowels, up to a metre in length, on racks.
Bagels were brought to the United
States by immigrant Polish-Jews,
with a thriving business developing in New York City that was controlled for
decades by Bagel Bakers Local 338,
which had contracts with nearly all bagel bakeries in and around the city for
its workers, who prepared all their bagels by hand.
The bagel came into more general use throughout North America in the last quarter of the 20th century, which was due at least partly to the efforts of bagel baker Harry Lender, his son, Murray Lender, and Florence Sender, who pioneered automated production and distribution of frozen bagels in the 1960s.[11][12][13] Murray also invented pre-slicing the bagel.[14]
The bagel came into more general use throughout North America in the last quarter of the 20th century, which was due at least partly to the efforts of bagel baker Harry Lender, his son, Murray Lender, and Florence Sender, who pioneered automated production and distribution of frozen bagels in the 1960s.[11][12][13] Murray also invented pre-slicing the bagel.[14]
In modern times,
Canadian-born astronaut Gregory Chamitoff is the first person known
to have taken a batch of bagels into space on his 2008 Space
Shuttle mission to the International Space Station.[15] His shipment consisted of
18 sesame seed bagels.
Preparation and preservation
At its most basic, traditional bagel
dough contains wheat flour (without germ or bran), salt, water, and yeast leavening.Bread flour or other high gluten flours are preferred to create the firm and dense but spongy bagel
shape and chewy texture.[2] Most bagel recipes call for the addition of a sweetener to the
dough, often barley malt (syrup or crystals), honey, sugar, with or without eggs, milk or
butter.[2] Leavening can be accomplished using either a sourdough technique or using commercially produced
yeast.
Bagels are
traditionally made by:
·
mixing and kneading the ingredients to form the dough
·
shaping the dough into the traditional bagel shape, round with a hole in
the middle, from a long thin piece of dough
·
boiling each bagel in water that may or may not contain additives such
as lye, baking soda, barley malt syrup, or honey
·
baking at between 175 °C and 315 °C (about 350–600 °F)
It is this unusual production method
which is said to give bagels their distinctive taste, chewy texture, and shiny
appearance. In recent years, a variant of this process has emerged, producing
what is sometimes called the steam bagel. To make a steam bagel, the process of
boiling is skipped, and the bagels are instead baked in an oven equipped with a
steam injection system.[18] In commercial bagel production, the steam bagel process requires
less labor, since bagels need only be directly handled once, at the shaping
stage. Thereafter, the bagels need never be removed from their pans as they are
refrigerated and then steam-baked.
The steam-bagel is not considered to be a genuine bagel by purists, as it results in a fluffier, softer, less chewy product more akin to a finger roll that happens to be shaped like a bagel. Steam bagels are also considered lower quality by purists as the dough used is intentionally more basic. The increase in pH is to aid browning since the steam injection process uses neutral water steam instead of a basic solution bath.
The steam-bagel is not considered to be a genuine bagel by purists, as it results in a fluffier, softer, less chewy product more akin to a finger roll that happens to be shaped like a bagel. Steam bagels are also considered lower quality by purists as the dough used is intentionally more basic. The increase in pH is to aid browning since the steam injection process uses neutral water steam instead of a basic solution bath.
If not consumed immediately, there are
certain storing techniques that can help to keep the bagel moist and fresh.
First, cool bagels in a paper bag, then wrap the paper bag in a plastic bag
(attempting to rid the bags of as much air as possible without squishing the
bagels), then freeze for up to six months.
Varieties
The two most prominent
styles of traditional bagel in North America are the Montreal-style bagel and the New York-style
bagel. The Montreal bagel contains malt and sugar with no salt; it
is boiled in honey-sweetened water before baking in a wood-fired oven; and it
is predominantly either of the poppy "black" or sesame "white" seeds
variety.
The New York bagel contains salt and malt and is boiled in water prior to baking in a standard oven. The resulting New York bagel is puffy with a moist crust, while the Montreal bagel is smaller (though with a larger hole), crunchier, and sweeter.[20]
The New York bagel contains salt and malt and is boiled in water prior to baking in a standard oven. The resulting New York bagel is puffy with a moist crust, while the Montreal bagel is smaller (though with a larger hole), crunchier, and sweeter.[20]
Poppy seeds are sometimes
called by their Yiddish name, spelled either mun or mon (written מאָן) which is very similar to the German word for poppy, Mohn, as used in Mohnbrötchen. The traditional
London bagel (or beigel as it is spelled) is harder and has a coarser texture
with air bubbles.
American chef John
Mitzewich suggests a recipe for what
he calls “San Francisco-Style Bagels”. His recipe yields bagels flatter than
New York-style bagels and characterized by a rough-textured crust.[22]
Bagels around the world
Pretzels, especially the large soft ones, are similar to bagels, the main
exceptions being the shape and the alkaline water bath that makes the surface
dark and glossy.
In Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, the bublik is
essentially a much larger bagel, but have a wider hole, and are drier and
chewier Other ring-shaped breads known among East Slavs are baranki (smaller
and drier) and sushki (even
smaller and drier).
In Finland, vesirinkeli are small rings of yeast-leavened
wheat bread. They are placed in salted boiling water before being baked. They
are often eaten for breakfast toasted and buttered. They are available in
several different varieties (sweet or savoury) in supermarkets.
The Uyghurs of Xinjiang, China, enjoy a form of bagel
known as girdeh nan (from Persian, meaning round bread), which is one of several types of nan,
the bread eaten in Xinjiang.[23]
In Turkey, a salty and fattier form is called açma. However, the ring-shaped simit,
is sometimes marketed as Turkish bagel. Archival sources show that the simit has been produced in Istanbul since
1525.[24] Based on Üsküdar court
records (Şer’iyye Sicili) dated 1593,[25] the weight and price of simit was
standardized for the first time. Famous 17th century traveler Evliya Çelebi wrote that there were 70 simit
bakeries in Istanbul during 1630s [26] Jean Brindesi's early 19th
century oil-paintings about Istanbul daily life show simit sellers on the
streets.[27] Warwick
Goble made an illustration of
these simit sellers of Istanbul in 1906.[28] Surprisingly, simit is very
similar to the twisted sesame-sprinkled bagels pictured being sold in early
20th century Poland. Simit are also sold on the street in baskets
or carts, like bagels were then.
In some parts of Austria, ring-shaped pastries called Beugel are sold in the weeks before Easter. Like a bagel, the yeasted wheat dough, usually flavored with caraway, is boiled before baking. However, the Beugel is crispy and can be stored for weeks.
Traditionally it has to be torn apart by two individuals before eating.[citation needed]
In Poland, bagels are sold in the bakery in Kielce's Market Square and are
well known in the city. Polish bagels are usually sold with sesame and poppy
seeds.[citation needed]
In Romania, bagels are popular topped with poppy, sesame seeds or large salt
grains, especially in the central area of the country, and the recipe does not
contain any added sweetener. They are named covrigi.
In Japan, the first kosher bagels were brought by BagelK (ベーグルK) from New York in 1989. BagelK created green tea, chocolate,
maple-nut, and banana-nut flavors for the market in Japan. There are three
million bagels exported from the U.S. annually, and it has a 4%-of-duty
classification of Japan in 2000. Some Japanese bagels are sweet; the orthodox
kosher bagels are the same as in the U.S.
"Bagel" is also a Yeshivish term for sleeping 12 hours straight,
e.g., "I slept a bagel last night." There are various opinions as to
the origins of this term. It may be a reference to the fact that bagel dough
has to "rest" for at least 12 hours between mixing and baking,[29]or
simply to the fact that the hour hand on a clock traces a bagel shape over the
course of twelve hours.
Non-traditional doughs and types
While normally and
traditionally made of yeasted wheat, in the late 20th century many variations on the bagel
flourished. Nontraditional versions which change the dough recipe include pumpernickel, rye, sourdough, bran, whole
wheat, and multigrain. Other variations change the flavor of the
dough, often using blueberry, salt, onion, garlic, egg, cinnamon,raisin, chocolate
chip, cheese, or some combination of
the above. Green bagels are sometimes created for St.
Patrick's Day.
Many corporate chains now
offer bagels in such flavors as chocolate chip and French toast. Sandwich
bagels have been popularized since the late 1990s by bagel specialty shops such
as Bruegger's and Einstein
Brothers, and fast food restaurants such as McDonald's.
Breakfast bagels, a softer, sweeter variety usually sold in fruity or sweet flavors (e.g., cherry, strawberry, cheese, blueberry, cinnamon-raisin, chocolate chip, maple syrup, banana and nuts) are commonly sold by large supermarket chains. These are usually sold sliced and are intended to be prepared in a toaster.
Breakfast bagels, a softer, sweeter variety usually sold in fruity or sweet flavors (e.g., cherry, strawberry, cheese, blueberry, cinnamon-raisin, chocolate chip, maple syrup, banana and nuts) are commonly sold by large supermarket chains. These are usually sold sliced and are intended to be prepared in a toaster.
A flat bagel, known as a
'Flagel', can be found in a few locations in and around New York City and
Toronto. According to a review attributed to New York's Village
Voice food critic Robert
Seitsema, the Flagel was first created by Brooklyn's Tasty Bagels deli in the early 1990s.[30]
Though the original bagel
has a fairly well defined recipe and method of production, there is no legal standard of identity for bagels in the United
States. Bakers are thus free to call any bread torus a bagel, even those that
deviate wildly from the original formulation.
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